Meadowlands In Trouble
 

May not even be simulcasting soon.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201..._probably.html

Mr. Gural is not giving up yet.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-big-m-meeting

Yesterday's lunacy as the mutuel clerks, who feel they have some unique entitlement, continue to act like utter jackasses. It's remarkable they would threaten so many people's livlihoods. But the NYC OTB mutuels behaved similarly until it was too late, so I suppose there shouldn't be too much surprise at this bizarre posture by people making $20/hour.

Simply nuts. Get vouchers. EZ Pass is the future.

This is not surprising as this is part of an overall general union issue that is bankrupting the municipalities of this country. There is absolutely no give when it comes to these unions, regardless of whether or not they are overpaid or have benefits unheard of in the private sector. Why these people just can't be fired and replaced by non-union employees at a rate acceptable in the private sector is beyond me. It is a shame that other employees and an entire industry in NJ has to be held hostage by them.

:tro::tro:

I couldn't agree more, I believe that people would be knocking down the door at $20 an hour, for positions a hell of a lot tougher than being a teller.

According to the article, they were cut from full-time to part-time positions awhile ago, but it didn't say how much of a pay cut was being demanded. Does anyone know how much of a pay cut is on the table? If they're being asked to cut like 3 percent, then it seems they're being pretty obstinate. But if they're being asked to cut like 20 percent, well, that's a pretty sizable pay cut. Anyone know? Neither article listed what was offered to the union.

From hearing Gural Saturday on Down the Stretch, I believe the other departments he worked with agreed to 30% cuts. So that it's clear, if the mutuels don't work with the hand being dealt to them, they'll be receiving a 100% cut because they'll be out of work.

The average teller at The Meadowlands makes $30,184 a year, I read.

A 1/5 cut would take them to about $24,000. I imagine a $6k cut in pay when you are making $600/week would be hard to swallow, especially if you have an existing contract.

Gural knew the union deal was there and extends to 2/1/2012.

He also said before the offer was looked at by the union that if it wasn't accepted, he was out. That didn't happen. His exact words were, I believe, "April 15th is a drop dead date for me."

I suppose it's understandable to blame the tellers and label them as America wreckers, jackasses, etc... But it's hard to understand why he would go public and tell the world he has been "insulted" by a bunch of tellers who make $30 grand a year.

I wish him well but really how does a guy who grows up in the family business and succeeds his father as chairman of a huge corporation even dream that is a good idea?

I'm not buying his story.

If the average teller is making $30K a year at $29.00/hr that averages out to about 20 hours per week of work, not including overtime.

Yeah, Gural is really trying to screw them by asking to cut their pay to $24.00/hr. in order to try to turn this into a profitable business model. :rolleyes:

Really, where do you get the $29/hour figure.

My understanding is the experienced tellers get about $24/hr. Also, their shifts are 5.5 hours and they can get up to 7 shifts per week. It's in the contract.

You're not close. No matter.

What do you think about Gural backing off his "walk away" date of April 15th?

They pay a hell of a lot less for pushing buttons at Burger King.

Look back to the "Jersey legislature OK's $30 mil for MTH & MED" thread (I do not know how to post a link to it).

Even assuming it was $24 per/hr, which from my understanding from the article located on that thread was the proposal after a 20% reduction which simple mathematics gives you almost $29/hr they were making, we are still talking about a 24 hour work week for a $30K salary and that would be without any overtime.

It is a simple process of economics. The union wants as much as they can regardless of the reality, they could care less if the people paying them cannot afford it. If they want to keep their jobs, they need to make concessions. Hell, I am paying an experienced and very qualified attorney to work for me part time for $18/hr. and these tellers who punch tickets are balking at $24/hr? Even $19-$20/hr. is something to balk at? Please. :wf

As far as Gural backing off his walk away date, the tellers are lucky that he is willing to even continue to negotiate with them after insulting him by refusing to even vote on his proposal.

Most of the tellers use this as a 2nd source of income, ie they have another job. The fact is they should not only wholeheartedly take the pay cut as finding a 2nd job as easy and well paying as punching tickets is close to impossible and the reality is that most of them can easily (probably should) be replaced by machines. Of course the full time Union Reps that get paid very well regardless of what happens to these people have convinced them this is a terrible deal.

it's getting hot in here!

http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/m...going_on_here/

Oh my

http://www.drf.com/news/mutuel-clerk...ma-meadowlands

If Gural can go forward without the union he should and those dopes should wallow in their loss due to their own greed. As Cannon pointed out, most of them can and should be replaced by machines anyway.

Why do I get the feeling if Gural does do that, terrorist acts might ensue.

Looks like an agreement.

http://www.drf.com/news/meadowlands-...al-reports-say

looking a lot better!